Naruto: The Flame That Reshapes Fate

Next to the conference room was a small side room. It was used as a waiting area for secretaries, bodyguards, and aides who accompanied the clan heads and division heads to meetings. Today, Shisui, who had been brought along as Rēn's aide, sat quietly inside.

Though called "small," the room was only small compared to the massive conference hall next to it.

"Please, don't let this blow up…"

Standing in the corner of the room, Shisui was filled with anxiety. The others in the room noticed the unrest radiating off him, but no one spoke to him. As personal guards and aides of the clan heads and division heads, they all had some sense of what this emergency meeting was about: the Uchiha.

After all, the Uchiha were never particularly welcomed by the rest of the village.

No one had the leisure to approach and chat with Shisui.

As Shisui was lost in his mounting unease, the door to the room opened. Another youth wearing the Uchiha clan's fan crest on his clothing stepped in. No—he was more than just a youth. He looked to be about ten years old at most.

"…Itachi?"

Shisui's eyes widened.

He had never expected to see Itachi here.

Uchiha Itachi walked toward him.

"Itachi, how did you…"

"Shisui, why?"

"Why what?"

Shisui was confused.

"Why are you supporting Uchiha Rēn?"

"…Are you blaming me for helping Rēn remove your father from the position of clan head?"

"No."

Uchiha Itachi shook his head without hesitation.

"I understand. My father… he wasn't exactly a great leader. But compared to Uchiha Rēn, at least he never stood against the village. Shisui, you used to tell me about the Will of Fire. About how the clan and the village could coexist. But what Rēn is doing is tearing the two apart!"

"Itachi, you…"

Shisui was stunned.

Itachi's sudden burst of emotion left him at a loss for words. He wanted to explain so much… How could Itachi say that Fugaku never stood against the village? This was the same Fugaku who had publicly supported the idea of a coup during the assembly at the Naka Shrine.

As for Rēn causing division between the clan and the village—

Rēn had long since abandoned the idea of coexistence with the Third Hokage's faction. He was waiting for the arrival of the Fifth.

"These things are complicated, Itachi. Let's talk about it another time, somewhere else. This isn't the place—"

Just then, the Hokage building trembled slightly beneath their feet.

Shisui froze. Was it an earthquake? Or has something happened...

A bad feeling surged up uncontrollably. He used Body Flicker Technique and instantly appeared at the door. He shoved it open and stepped into the hallway, where he saw a huge hole blasted through the wall. Through it, he could see the conference room in complete chaos.

The next moment, the already-ajar door collapsed completely from his collision.

The guards and aides in the room all rushed out. When they saw the giant hole in the wall—and then noticed Shimura Danzō plastered against the far wall—their eyes nearly popped out.

What happened?

Who dared lay a hand on Danzō?

"Uchiha Rēn!!!"

Danzō, pinned to the wall, roared in fury.

He struggled to pull himself free. For an old man, he had a surprisingly solid build. Though most people knew him for his Wind Release and sealing techniques, few were aware that he was also proficient in Earth, Water, and Fire Release. There was a reason he had once contested for the Hokage title.

In the instant Rēn's fist connected, Danzō had realized the danger. He didn't have time to use Substitution Technique, so he hardened his body with Earth Release just in time to avoid being smashed into paste against the wall.

"I'm right here. No need to shout."

Rēn stepped through the hole and entered the hallway, calmly facing everyone present.

As for how things had escalated to this point…

It began when Uchiha Itachi, under orders from the Third Hokage, returned to the clan and spoke with his father, Uchiha Fugaku. Then the two of them came to the Hokage building together.

The Third Hokage intended to stir Fugaku's lingering resentment, hoping he would challenge Rēn's authority, allowing the Hokage to remain neutral and benefit as the arbiter.

However,

He misjudged several things. Itachi, not privy to the secret meetings, had no idea that his father had already expressed open support for a coup during the clan's internal assembly the night before.

This lack of intel caused the Third to make a critical error.

No matter how easily influenced Fugaku might be, it was too much to expect that he would forget what he had just declared last night at Naka Shrine and suddenly oppose Rēn to align with the Hokage today.

That would be shameless beyond reason.

"Sorry, Lord Hokage. I'm no longer the head of the Uchiha clan. That was a decision made collectively by the six elders and numerous jōnin of our clan. I have no personal objections."

This unexpected refusal disrupted the Third Hokage's plan.

"Fugaku, do you really believe a fifteen-year-old child can lead your clan down the right path?"

"I'm just an ordinary jōnin now. Matters like that… are for the clan head to decide."

Uchiha Fugaku stepped back, firmly placing himself behind Rēn.

The Third Hokage's brows furrowed deeply.

The two advisors beside him also looked visibly disturbed.

Only Danzō remained expressionless, his cold gaze drifting toward the Third as if to say: "See? None of the Uchiha can be trusted."

That only worsened the Hokage's mood.

The Third considered whether to use force to pressure Rēn into stepping down. If he resisted, then they could unite the other clan heads, eliminate Rēn, and control Fugaku to pacify the Uchiha afterward.

That was the backup plan.

He didn't want to use it unless absolutely necessary. A civil war with the Uchiha, even if won, would severely weaken the village.

But just before he could act, Rēn made the first move, his own anger rising.

Rēn brought out a pile of "evidence" proving that Shimura Danzō had sent Root operatives disguised as Hidden Mist shinobi to assassinate him and the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki. He accused Danzō of killing Uchiha clan members to steal their Sharingan and aggressively confronted him.

The Third Hokage failed to stop the clash in time.

None of the other clan heads stood up for Danzō. They didn't like the Uchiha, but they also deeply resented Danzō for forcibly drafting their clan's talented ninja into Root.

To many, this was just two dogs fighting.

They had no intention of stepping into the mud. If Danzō and Rēn destroyed each other, even better.

That was exactly what Rēn wanted.

He had thought long and hard about how to confront the Third and his faction without triggering a united attack from the rest of the village. In the end, he chose to target Danzō.

Danzō was the best scapegoat.

Attacking Danzō wouldn't provoke a unified response. In fact, it might even make the neutral clans sit back and watch.

As for provoking the Third and his people…

They were never allies to begin with. The angrier the Third got, the more satisfied Rēn became. Compared to Danzō, who stood by and let Pain destroy the village just to take control, Sarutobi Hiruzen, the so-called "Professor of Ninjutsu," was far more reluctant to sacrifice Konoha for personal gain.

The Third still cared about the village.

Unless he was certain he could destroy the Uchiha at minimal cost, he would never initiate all-out war.

In short,

During the heated argument, Rēn exploded. With speed and power that no one expected, he struck Danzō with a punch that launched him through the wall, leaving a massive crater behind. The sheer force reminded everyone of a certain red-haired monster.

"Yang Release?"

A heavyset elder who hadn't moved from his seat suddenly stood. The hole in the wall created by Rēn's punch had startled him to his feet, his large frame smashing through the table in front of him.

That sudden movement, caused Sarutobi and the others to hesitate in supporting Danzō. They turned in surprise toward the fat elder—their former comrade and teammate, Akimichi Tofū.